U.S. patent number 4,125,420 [Application Number 05/816,846] was granted by the patent office on 1978-11-14 for hand-held labeler.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Monarch Marking Systems, Inc.. Invention is credited to Paul H. Hamisch, Jr..
United States Patent |
4,125,420 |
Hamisch, Jr. |
November 14, 1978 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Hand-held labeler
Abstract
There is disclosed a hand-held apparatus for printing and
applying pressure sensitive labels, the apparatus having a frame
with a handle, an actuator disposed at the handle and movable
between an initial position and an actuated position, a platen, a
print head cooperable with the platen, a label delaminator adjacent
the platen, a label applicator adjacent the delaminator, a feed
wheel for advancing the web, a stop on the actuator, a pivotally
mounted print head lever, a spring for urging the print head lever
against the stop, ratchet teeth coupled to the feed wheel, a first
pawl carried by the actuator and cooperable with the ratchet tooth
to drive the feed wheel, the print head lever having a tooth, a
second pawl cooperable with the tooth after the actuator has moved
from an initial position through an increment toward the actuated
position, the second pawl being effective to prevent rotation of
the lever as the actuator is moved through an additional increment
toward the actuated position, and a projection carried by the
actuator for releasing the second pawl from the lever tooth when
the actuator has moved through the additional increment to enable
the spring to drive the print head into printing cooperation with
the platen.
Inventors: |
Hamisch, Jr.; Paul H.
(Franklin, OH) |
Assignee: |
Monarch Marking Systems, Inc.
(Dayton, OH)
|
Family
ID: |
25221763 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/816,846 |
Filed: |
July 18, 1977 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
156/384; 101/288;
156/541 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65C
11/0247 (20130101); Y10T 156/1707 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
B65C
11/00 (20060101); B65C 11/02 (20060101); B65C
009/26 () |
Field of
Search: |
;156/277,384,540,541,542,576,577,579,584 ;101/288,291,292 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Weston; Caleb
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Grass; Joseph J.
Claims
I claim:
1. Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive
labels releasably carried on a web of supporting material,
comprising: a frame having a handle, an actuator disposed at the
handle and movable between an initial position and an actuated
position, a platen, a print head mounted for movement into and out
of printing cooperation with the platen, means disposed adjacent
the platen for delaminating printed labels from the supporting
material web, means disposed adjacent the delaminating means for
applying printed labels, a feed wheel engageable with the web for
advancing the web, a stop on the actuator, a print head lever
pivotally mounted on the frame, a spring for urging the print head
lever against the stop, ratchet teeth coupled to the feed wheel, a
first pawl carried by the actuator and cooperable with a ratchet
tooth to drive the feed wheel to advance the web only after the
print head has cooperated with the platen, the print head lever
having a tooth, a second pawl mounted on the frame and engageable
with the lever tooth after the actuator has moved from the initial
position through an increment toward the actuated position, the
second pawl being effective to prevent rotation of the lever as the
actuator is moved through an additional increment toward the
actuated position, and means carried by the actuator for releasing
the second pawl from the lever tooth when the actuator has moved
through the additional increment to enable the spring to drive the
print head into printing cooperation with the platen.
2. Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive
labels releasably carried on a web of supporting material,
comprising: a frame having a handle, a pivotally mounted actuator
lever disposed at the handle and movable between an initial
position and an actuated position, a platen, a print head, means
disposed adjacent the platen for delaminating printed labels from
the supporting material web, means disposed adjacent the
delaminating means for applying printed labels, a feed wheel
engageable with the web for advancing the web, a stop on the
actuator lever, a pivotally mounted print head lever, a spring for
urging the print head lever against the stop, ratchet teeth coupled
to the feed wheel, a first pawl carried by the actuator lever and
cooperable with a ratchet tooth to drive the feed wheel to advance
the web only after the print head has cooperated with the platen,
the print head lever having a tooth, a second pawl mounted on the
frame and engageable with the lever tooth after the actuator lever
has moved from the initial position through an increment toward the
actuated lever position, means mounting the actuator and the print
head lever for rotation on the frame, the second pawl being
effective to prevent rotation of the print head lever as the
actuator lever is moved through an additional increment toward the
actuated position, and means carried by the actuator lever for
releasing the second pawl from the print head lever tooth when the
actuator lever has moved through the additional increment to enable
the spring to drive the print head into printing cooperation with
the platen.
3. Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive
labels releasably carried on a web of supporting material,
comprising: a frame having a handle, an actuator disposed at the
handle and movable between an initial position and an actuated
position, a platen, a print head mounted for movement into and out
of printing cooperation with the platen, means disposed adjacent
the platen for delaminating printed labels from the supporting
material web, means disposed adjacent the delaminating means for
applying printed labels, a feed wheel engageable with the web for
advancing the web, a stop on the actuator, a print head lever
pivotally mounted on the frame, a spring acting on both the
actuator and the print head lever for urging the print head lever
against the stop, ratchet teeth coupled to the feed wheel, a first
pawl carried by the actuator and cooperable with a ratchet tooth to
drive the feed wheel to advance the web only after the print head
has cooperated with the platen, the print head lever having a
tooth, a second pawl mounted on the frame and engageable with the
lever tooth after the actuator has moved from the initial position
through an increment toward the actuated position, the second pawl
being effective to prevent rotation of the lever as the actuator is
moved through an additional increment toward the actuated position,
and means carried by the actuator for releasing the second pawl
from the lever tooth when the actuator has moved through the
additional increment to enable the spring to drive the print head
into printing cooperation with the platen.
4. Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive
labels releasably carried on a web of supporting material,
comprising: a frame having a handle, an actuator disposed at the
handle and movable between an initial position and an actuated
position, a platen, a print head mounted for movement into and out
of printing cooperation with the platen, means disposed adjacent
the platen for delaminating printed labels from the supporting
material web, means disposed adjacent the delaminating means for
applying printed labels, a feed wheel engageable with the web for
advancing the web, a stop on the actuator, a print head lever
pivotally mounted on the frame, a spring for urging the print head
lever against the stop, ratchet teeth coupled to the feed wheel, a
first pawl carried by the actuator and cooperable with a ratchet
tooth to drive the feed wheel to advance the web only after the
print head has cooperated with the platen, the print head lever
having a tooth, a second pawl mounted on the frame and engageable
with the lever tooth after the actuator has moved from the initial
position through an increment toward the actuated position, the
second pawl being effective to prevent rotation of the lever as the
actuator is moved through an additional increment toward the
actuated position, means carried by the actuator for releasing the
second pawl from the lever tooth when the actuator has moved
through the additional increment to enable the spring to drive the
print head into printing cooperation with the platen, and a spring
for returning the actuator and the print head lever to their
initial positions and for causing the first pawl to drive a ratchet
tooth and hence the feed wheel.
5. Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive
labels releasably carried on a web of supporting material,
comprising: a frame having a handle, a pivotally mounted actuator
lever disposed at the handle and movable between an initial
position and an actuated position, a platen, a print head, means
disposed adjacent the platen for delaminating printed labels from
the supporting material web, means disposed adjacent the
delaminating means for applying printed labels, a feed wheel
engageable with the web for advancing the web, a stop on the
actuator lever, wherein the actuator and print head levers are
pivotally mounted on the same axis, a spring for urging the print
head lever against the stop, ratchet teeth coupled to the feed
wheel, a first pawl carried by the actuator lever and cooperable
with a ratchet tooth to drive the feed wheel to advance the web
only after the print head has cooperated with the platen, the print
head lever having a tooth, a second pawl mounted on the frame and
engageable with the lever tooth after the actuator lever has moved
from the initial position through an increment toward the actuated
position, means mounting the actuator lever and the print head
lever for rotation on the frame, the second pawl being effective to
prevent rotation of the print head lever as the actuator lever is
moved through an additional increment toward the actuated position,
and means carried by the actuator lever for releasing the second
pawl from the print head lever tooth when the actuator lever has
moved through the additional increment to enable the spring to
drive the print head into printing cooperation with the platen.
6. Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive
labels releasably carried on a web of supporting material,
comprising: a frame having a handle, a pivotally mounted actuator
lever disposed at the handle and movable between an initial
position and an actuated position, a platen, a print head, means
disposed adjacent the platen for delaminating printed labels from
the supporting material web, means disposed adjacent the
delaminating means for applying printed labels, a feed wheel
engageable with the web for advancing the web, a stop on the
actuator lever, a pivotally mounted print head lever, a spring for
urging the print head lever against the stop, wherein the spring is
a tension spring which is connected to both the actuator and print
head lever, ratchet teeth coupled to the feed wheel, a first pawl
carried by the actuator lever and cooperable with a ratchet tooth
to drive the feed wheel to advance the web only after the print
head has cooperated with the platen, the print head lever having a
tooth, a second pawl mounted on the frame and engageable with the
lever tooth after the actuator lever has moved from the initial
position through an increment toward the actuated position, means
mounting the actuator lever and the print head lever for rotation
on the frame, the second pawl being effective to prevent rotation
of the print head lever as the actuator lever is moved through an
additional increment toward the actuated position, and means
carried by the actuator lever for releasing the second pawl from
the print head lever tooth when the actuator lever has moved
through the additional increment to enable the spring to drive the
print head into printing cooperation with the platen.
7. Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive
labels releasably carried on a web of supporting material,
comprising: a frame having a handle, a pivotally mounted actuator
lever disposed at the handle and movable between an initial
position and an actuated position, a platen, a print head, means
disposed adjacent the platen for delaminating printed labels from
the supporting material web, means disposed adjacent the
delaminating means for applying printed labels, a feed wheel
engageable with the web for advancing the web, a stop on the
actuator lever, a pivotally mounted print head lever, a spring for
urging the print head lever against the stop, ratchet teeth coupled
to the feed wheel, a first pawl carried by the actuator lever and
cooperable with a ratchet tooth to drive the feed wheel to advance
the web only after the print head has cooperated with the platen,
the print head lever having a tooth, a second pawl mounted on the
frame and engageable with the lever tooth after the actuator lever
has moved from the initial position through an increment toward the
actuated position, means mounting the actuator lever and the print
head lever for rotation of the frame, wherein the mounting means
includes a post secured to the frame, the actuator and print head
levers being mounted for independent pivotaly movement on the post,
the second pawl being effective to prevent rotation of the print
head lever as the actuator lever is moved through an additional
increment toward the actuated position, and means carried by the
actuator lever for releasing the second pawl from the print head
lever tooth when the actuator lever has moved through the
additional increment to enable the spring to drive the print head
into printing cooperation with the platen.
8. Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressures
sensitive labels releasably carried on a web of supporting
material, comprising: a frame having a handle, a pivotally mounted
actuator lever disposed at the handle and movable between an
initial position and an actuated position, a platen, a print head,
means disposed adjacent the platen for delaminating printed labels
from the supporting material web, means disposed adjacent the
delaminating means for applying printed labels, a feed wheel
engageable with the web for advancing the web, a stop on the
actuator lever, a pivotally mounted print head lever, a spring for
urging the print head lever against the stop, wherein the spring
acts on both the actuator and print head levers, ratchet teeth
coupled to the feed wheel, a first pawl carried by the actuator
lever and cooperable with a ratchet tooth to drive the feed wheel
to advance the web only after the print head has cooperated with
the platen, the print head lever having a tooth, a second pawl
mounted on the frame and engageable with the lever tooth after the
actuator lever has moved from the initial position through an
increment toward the actuated position, means mounting the actuator
lever and the print head lever for rotation on the frame, the
second pawl being effective to prevent rotation of the print head
lever as the actuator lever is moved through an additional
increment toward the actuated position, and means carried by the
actuator lever for releasing the second pawl from the print head
lever tooth when the actuator lever has moved through the
additional increment to enable the spring to drive the print head
into printing cooperation with the platen.
9. Hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive
labels releasably carried on a web of supporting material,
comprising: a frame having a handle, a pivotally mounted actuator
lever disposed at the handle and movable between an initial
position and an actuated position, a platen, a print head, means
disposed adjacent the platen for delaminating printed labels from
the supporting material web, means disposed adjacent the
delaminating means for applying printed labels, a feed wheel
engageable with the web for advancing the web, a stop on the
actuator lever, a pivotally mounted print head lever, a spring for
urging the print head lever against the stop, ratchet teeth coupled
to the feed wheel, a first pawl carried by the actuator lever and
cooperable with a ratchet tooth to drive the feed wheel to advance
the web only after the print head has cooperated with the platen,
the print head lever having a tooth, a second pawl mounted on the
frame and engageable with the lever tooth after the actuator lever
has moved from the initial position through an increment toward the
actuated position, means mounting the actuating lever and the print
head lever for rotation on the frame, the second pawl being
effective to prevent rotation of the print head lever as the
actuator lever is moved through an additional increment toward the
actuated position, means carried by the actuator lever for
releasing the second pawl from the print head lever tooth when the
actuator lever has moved through the additional increment to enable
the spring to drive the print head into printing cooperation with
the platen, and a spring for returning the actuator and print head
levers to their initial position and for causing the first pawl to
drive a ratchet tooth and hence the feed wheel.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the art of hand-held labelers.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 1,665,467 to David B. Miller dated Apr. 10, 1928
discloses a stamping device in which a pivotally mounted hammer is
tripped into printing cooperation with a marking stamp.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,408,931 to Charles C. Austin dated Nov. 5, 1968
discloses a hand-held label printer in which a print head is
mounted for straight line reciprocating movement. This patent
discloses cocking means responsive to an actuator for moving the
print head from printing to a retracted position during the cycle,
a detent for holding the print head in the retracted position
during a subsequent part of the cycle, and trip means responsive to
the actuator at or near the end of the cycle to disengage the
detent, thereby permitting a spring to snap the print head into
printing position.
Published German patent application No. P 23 45 249.5-27 (2530346)
of Meto International GmbH discloses a hand-held labeler having an
actuating lever and a spring-urged print head lever. The spring may
be cocked by swinging the actuating lever up to the point of
reaching a spring force which is greater than the maximum of
resistance opposed to the movement of the printing mechanism toward
the platen. When this occurs, the print head will be snapped
against the platen with constant force independent of the force or
speed of movement of the actuator lever.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,817 to Werner Becker et al dated Oct. 14, 1975
discloses a device for printing and dispensing labels in which a
printing mechanism and a label strip advancing mechanism are
actuated by movement of a secondary lever and the secondary lever
is moved by a primary lever only after actuation of the primary
lever to exceed a predetermined biasing force tending to maintain
the secondary lever stationary.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,701 to William Martin dated Apr. 2, 1974
discloses a labeler having an actuator lever or pivot arm which is
manually movable and which is connected to a print head. The
actuator lever carries a pawl which cooperates with a tooth of the
ratchet wheel to drive the feed wheel to advance the web. When the
actuator lever is gripped the print head is pivoted into printing
cooperation with the platen and upon release of the actuator lever
a spring returns the actuator lever and the print head to an
initial position and causes the pawl to drive the feed wheel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a hand-held labeler in which the rate of
movement of the print head into cooperation with the platen is
essentially independent of the rate at which a manually actuated
actuator is moved by the user. In accordance with a specific
embodiment of the invention, the labeler includes a frame with a
handle, an actuator disposed at the handle and movable between an
initial position and an actuated position, a platen, a print head
mounted for movement into and out of printing cooperation with the
platen, a delaminator disposed adjacent the platen for delaminating
printed labels from the supporting material web, an applicator
disposed adjacent the delaminator for applying printed labels, a
feed wheel engageable with the web for advancing the web, a stop on
the actuator, a print head lever pivotally mounted on the frame,
and a spring for urging the print head lever against the stop.
Ratchet teeth are coupled to the feed wheel and a first pawl
carried by the actuator and is cooperable with a ratchet tooth to
drive the feed wheel to advance the web only after the print head
has cooperated with the platen. The print head lever has a tooth. A
second pawl mounted on the frame and engageable with the lever
tooth after the actuator has moved from the initial position
through an increment toward the actuated position is effective to
prevent rotation of the lever as the actuator is moved through an
additional increment toward the actuated position. The actuator
carries structure for releasing the second pawl from the lever
tooth when the actuator has moved through the additional increment
to enable the spring to drive the print head into printing
cooperation with the platen.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a hand-held labeler in
accordance with the invention with the component parts shown in
their respective initial positions;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the
actuator as having moved away from its initial position and showing
the print head lever moved slightly relative to an actuator
lever;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the
actuator as having moved through an additional increment with the
print head lever just being released and moving into printing
cooperation with the platen;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference to FIG. 1 there is shown a labeler or label printing
and applying apparatus generally indicated at 10 which includes a
casing or frame 11 having a handle or handle portion 12. A fixed
plate generally indicated at 13 is suitably secured in spaced
relationship to the casing 11. An actuator generally indicated at
14 is shown to include an actuator lever 15 and a finger piece 16.
A post 17 secured to the plate 13 pivotally mounts the lever 15. A
print head generally indicated at 18 and having printing members 19
is fixed to a print head lever generally indicated at 20. The print
head lever 20 is pivotally mounted on the post 17.
A post 21 rotatably mounts a supply roll R of a composite web C of
labels releasably carried on a web of supporting material S. A feed
wheel generally indicated at 22 is rotatably mounted on a post or
shaft 22' and is disposed coaxially with respect to a series of
ratchet teeth 23 which are secured to the feed wheel 22. The feed
wheel has a plurality of teeth 24 which engage a supporting
material web S. A pawl 25 pivotally mounted by a pin or post 26 to
the lever 15 cooperates with successive teeth 23 to advance the web
S. The pawl 25 is suitably urged into contact with the ratchet
teeth by a spiral spring arrangement. A pawl or latch 27 is
pivotally mounted to a pin or post 28 secured to the housing 11.
The pawl 27 is spring urged by a tension spring 29 connected at one
end portion to a pin or post 30 on the plate 13 and its other end
portion to a pin or post 31 on the pawl 27. The pawl 27 is
cooperable with a tooth 32 on the lever 20 adjacent the post
17.
The actuator lever 15 has a stop or abutment face 33. The post 17
is located generally between the finger piece 16 and the stop 33.
The lever 15 has an upstanding tab 34 and the lever 20 has an
upstanding tab 35. A tension spring 36 is connected at its one end
portion to the tab 34 and at its other end portion to the tab 35.
The tension spring 36 urges face 37 of the lever 20 against the
stop 33.
The print head 18 is cooperable with a platen 38. A delaminator 39
is disposed adjacent the platen 38 and an applicator 40 shown to be
in the form of a roll is disposed adjacent the delaminator 39. As
the feed wheel 22 is driven, labels are delaminated from the
supporting material web S and presented into label applying
relationship with respect to the applicator 40 when the actuator 14
is released and the pawl 25 cooperates with a tooth 23 under the
action of a spiral spring 41. The spring 41 is connected at one end
portion 42 to the casing 11 and at its other end portion 43 to the
lever 15. An ink roller 43 rotatably mounted on an arm 44 is spring
urged to the position shown in FIG. 1.
In using the apparatus 10, the handle portion 12 is held in the
user's hand and the finger piece 16 is engaged by at least one of
the user's fingers. When the user grips the finger piece 16, the
actuator lever 15 is pivoted counterclockwise. In that the spring
36 holds the lever 20 against the stop 33, the lever 20 also pivots
counterclockwise and there is no relative movement between the
levers 15 and 20. After movement of the actuator lever 15 through a
first increment the pawl 27 engages the tooth 32. The lever 15
continues to pivot although the motion of the lever 20 is arrested
by the pawl 27. FIG. 2 shows the lever 15 as having pivoted through
a small arc relative to the lever 20. The lever 20 is out of
contact with the stop 33 and the spring 36 is under greater tension
than in the position shown in FIG. 1. When the lever 15 has moved
through an additional increment, the pawl 27 is tripped by the rear
portion of the pawl 25 so that the pawl 27 loses cooperation with
the tooth 32 as shown in FIG. 3 and the spring 36 snaps the print
head 18 into cooperation with the platen 38. Although the pawl 27
is released when the rear portion of the pawl 25 contacts arm 27'
of the pawl 27, any suitably positioned projection on the actuator
lever 15 can be used to trip the pawl 27. When the finger piece 16
is released, the spring 41 urges the lever 15 clockwise and as the
lever 15 moves clockwise the spring 36 brings the lever 20 into
contact with the stop 33. Continued movement of the actuator lever
15 returns the actuator lever 15, the print head lever 20, the
print head 18, and the ink roller 43 to their initial positions
shown in FIG. 1. As the lever 15 returns to the initial position,
the pawl 25 engages and drives a tooth 23 to in turn drive the feed
wheel 22 and advance the supporting material S. It is readily
apparent that the printing force exerted on a label and the
underlying platen 38 by the print head 18 is essentially
independent of the speed of movement of the actuator 14 from the
initial to the actuated position. It is also apparent that the
supporting material web S can be fed only when the actuator 14 has
been moved to the actuated position after the print head 18 has
cooperated with the platen 38. With the foregoing arrangement, the
just printed label is moved into label applying relationship with
respect to the applicator 40 and thus no printed label is left in
the labeler 10 after the completion of the cycle.
Other embodiments and modifications of this invention will suggest
themselves to those skilled in the art, and all such of these as
come within the spirit of this invention are included within its
scope as best defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *